Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kassaundra]

You are in the 'know' Kassaundra. Many people consider these birds as merely ornamentals. I know there are plenty of other good breeds but these are what I was raised with and I am quite happy with them.

As mentioned, I intend to buy 25 Austra-Whites in Jan. but that will just be a 'project'. I love the Australorps equally and just want to 'play'...an old man's toy! lol

I am raising my chickens in a small town, chicken friendly, but still a town. Their space is about 1/3 acre and working on planting chicken friendly plants/shrubs/trees, so I don't have space for many diff breeds so for me the one chicken that does it all, and that I can still play w/ color/pattern for a diverse looking flock is the way to go. I came to them almost accidentally and am so glad I did.

 

[hellbender]

I am raising my chickens in a small town, chicken friendly, but still a town. Their space is about 1/3 acre and working on planting chicken friendly plants/shrubs/trees, so I don't have space for many diff breeds so for me the one chicken that does it all, and that I can still play w/ color/pattern for a diverse looking flock is the way to go. I came to them almost accidentally and am so glad I did.

I have what my family used since before I was born. If I could only have one breed...it would be the Turkens/ NN!!! Without question.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have what my family used since before I was born. If I could only have one breed...it would be the Turkens/ NN!!! Without question.

Do you have pics of your NN????

 

[AletaG]

So, only posting here because I can't seem to find a relevant thread elsewhere, and I don't want my heiny handed to me by the Heritage group 'cause I'm thinking to do something obnoxious. By pure chance, have a silver Birchen Marans cockerel (feety tufts, hate em. Love the color) and a Lavendar Orp pullet. And some research shows that if I push it, I could end up with silver Birchen Orpingtons. No feety tufts; both nice meat birds. Not that I need a project. But I can't find anyone who wants either or both birds. So been toying with the idea, and eating them next year after a couple of generations thru. Am I insane? There's one guy in WA state that MIGHT not hand me my keister for just asking, and will PM him also... Heh.
-Aleta G.

 

[Beekissed]

Feety tufts!!!

I'm not a fan of those either....

 

[AletaG]

Feety tufts!!!

I'm not a fan of those either....

Hey, it's really, really not funny, not when you discover your chicken hobbling after the first rain... thinking there's something super wrong, only to find that "da## Oregon clay" has formed golf balls on the bottom of that dumb black silkie's feet. Never EVER again. We washed "Elvisa" once a week All. Winter. Long. And re-homed her to some other unsuspecting soul the following dry spell. The only reason Mr. Marans is around so far, is I'd heard they were decent meat birds... He's just not quite there yet, but randy as a sonofagun, and there's that silly pullet... who should be POL any. Minute! (or next April, who knows!)

This is what I hope he'll look like by summer. This pic from http://www.bevsmarans.com/birchen.htm I can't seem to take decent pics of my birds. One project before Spring is to make a 'show coop' in the garage over shavings and backed with a nice color board, but I digress. Anyway, so far, my boy is actually more Orp typy as far as tail carriage/chest and has a lot less solid silver in the neck, but the black is so deep there's that green going on and it's just beautiful. I've always had a thing for silver and black. Too many episodes of that old western show when James Garner was young, I think. Heh.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I'm getting away from FF 'til spring. I will consider re-starting after the spring thaw.

One more thing I'll mention about my feeding process. This would likely make little sense to those with few birds but around here, MANY beef farmers are butchering their own animals. I have them save blood for me (I know...not supposed to do it) but It is one of most nutritious parts of beef, in my opinion, so I manage to collect more than I'll mention here.

I get large tubs, half filled with boiling water, reduce heat to low/med, then pour in the blood. It quickly congeals to a consistency of liver. Oh, I spice the water with a bit of Kosher salt, garlic and Old Bay...

When this cools, I freeze it and add it to the bird food 'til I use up what I have. The birds love it I Never keep any over because I will eventually need the freezer space. I also pressure cook large road killed deer...too much good meat to allow it to go to waste.

This is just one of the several things i do for my birds AND my customers. I know some of you will revolt at the idea of blood, even boiled blood but there humans in this word who live on beef blood.

This helps keep me out of the 'red' and I can sell a very high quality product without gouging my customers.

Another thing, my flock has been out every day, beginning at 8AM...even when the temps. were hovering around zero F...These Turkin/ Naked Necks are far more cold hardy than many would believe.

Merry Christmas to all!!

I was going to ask about those pressure cookers too but you already explained it. Thanks. Another question though, are you the one who grinds up extra cockerels whole? I'd like to know about your grinder too.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never had tufty feeted birds before but have a few in these rooster lots I've brought home and they seem to do well on deep litter and out on free range, but maybe not so much in a typical chicken run? Too much mud maybe? It would be a nightmare for sure to keep such things free of mud build up.

 

[hellbender]

Do you have pics of your NN????

I took a few a while back but was not really happy with them. I have several NN's and Australorps that I keep close to the house for now (was feeding them FF). I will get some pics this week of them. Keep in mind, they are quite young and not part of my purebred flock, ie. many have large bow ties but I PROMISE,,,I will get a friend to operate this camera... it's new and She is much better than I am.

These birds will be 6 mos. Dec. 1...I'll try to post the pics (just because you asked, Kassaundra) by Tuesday or Wed. at latest...depending upon what my friend can do.

I have one Cockerel that looks much like one of yours...lol He already thinks he rules the farm!

 

[hellbender]

I was going to ask about those pressure cookers too but you already explained it. Thanks. Another question though, are you the one who grinds up extra cockerels whole? I'd like to know about your grinder too.

Yep...that would be me. I also grind up spent hens. I use a commercial grinder (like a butcher shop). My dad bought it several years ago. It runs on 220v and is a real work horse.

While I'm on this...with these birds, I rarely cull a production hen until they are well into their third year and frequently after their 4th birthday. They have been production bred for decades before I took over but also longevity in their production.

No...they do not produce an egg per day in their 3rd year but 4 or 5 is good enough for me. Certainly, after their 4th birthday, I consider them worth more as chicken feed than consumers of it because I constantly have new birds coming on.